NEW DELHI,21 April (BelTA - Xinhua) - At least 14 people were killed and 17 others injured Friday after a truck hit an electric pole snapping live wires and ran into a crowd in southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, officials said.

The accident took place near Tirupati in district Chittor, about 414 km south of Amaravati, the main city in Andhra Pradesh.

"Today a truck hit an electric pole snapping live wires and ran into a crowd killing 14 people and injuring 17 others," a police officer in Tirputi told Xinhua over telephone. "The injured were immediately removed to hospital."

Reports said the victims include a group of farmers who had gathered along the road to protest against the alleged sand mafia in the area.